Waiting in the Wings

Nine months ago, it was impossible to visit central London without seeing at least a dozen theatre goers with a musical theatre or play programme tucked under their arms.

It was impossible not to notice a child clutching their mother’s hand, eyes filled with wonder at the spectacle they just witnessed on the stage.

Then COVID-19 hit and the world came to a sudden halt, changing the arts as we know it. 

Musical theatre students and 2020 graduates alike were looking forward to a world full of opportunities on the stage. 

Jade Hogan moved from County Kildare in Ireland to London so she could peruse her West End dreams.

The 19-year old said: "I was excited to move to London but then a wave washed over me with questions about what I would be faced with when I arrived."

“I worry about how we are going to come back from it, especially for this graduation class. I wonder how we will break into the business,” Musical Theatre graduate Nathan Rigg added. 

The Entertainment Union BECTU figures show that theatre and live events redundancies leapt to 7,442 in October 2020. 

The impact is not just on the forward-facing roles but also those who work behind the scenes.

Multi-award winning Lighting and Production Designer Tom Campbell reveals the challenges for the lighting and production industry.

He said: “Our industry as a whole feel forgotten about.

“The theatre and concert touring side of my job is void. However, I have been able to do some television gigs. I also tutor aspiring lighting designers on zoom though Sonic Workshops.

“Our industry has evolved in order to survive, which is nice to see but it isn’t sustainable.

"The constant postponing of productions up to a year at a time is extremely disheartening.

"This could potentially be a downward spiral for a lot of people and if it carries on for another winter it will really effect people mentally."

Tom credits his three-year-old son for bringing structure to his day as he takes on the ultimate role of full-time dad, while his wife works on the frontline for the NHS.

While the arts have proved to be a resilient industry, many have had to adapt to the changing face of it.

Athena Stevens,36, is a playwright, director and Olivier nominated performer.

She is prepared for all options, and has been writing both stage and virtual adaptations.

Her upcoming production 'Late Night Staring At High Res Pixels' comes to our digital screens next month.

She said:" It was actually meant to be performed on stage, but I decided that it wouldn't be hard to film virtually so we filmed it during lockdown."

Shay, a writer and actress, shared her thoughts about the idea of digital spaces becoming prominent force in the arts industry. 

She said: “There is an app called Clubhouse which is really taking off. Creatives have put on a variety of musical theatre shows from the ‘Lion King’ to ‘Dream Girls’.

“There are a lot of collaborations and networking happening on Clubhouse and it’s really good. I’ve been getting a lot of messages from other creatives to collaborate on writing scripts and songs.”

Clubhouse is a free social media site focused on audio. In a year where Zoom has been the go-to platform, often met with awkward eye contact, backdrop woes and laptop malfunctions, Clubhouse appears to be a welcome alternative for creatives. 

However, for South Londoner Ayo Adegun while it may fill the void for a while, this can never truly replace the feeling of performing on stage and connecting with an audience.

Ayo is a second year acting student at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama.

He is also the 2020 recipient of the Luke Westlake Scholarship, which aims to help working class actors receive artistic and financial support.

The scholarship programme was renamed in honour of Luke Westlake, a young, working-class actor who sadly passed away during lockdown.

Ayo said: "Digital theatre will never encompass what it is like to watch a live show. But at the same time it is still very staisfying watching people on stage even if it is digitally."

He credits the National Theatre's free online shows with being able to watch Roy Williams' play 'Death of England'.

The actor said:"It was really rewarding and gave me hope that the theatres will be back."

After pressure from the arts community, the government announced the £1.57 billion rescue package to ensure the arts, culture and heritage industries survived. 

According to Arts Council England freelancers make up 70% of the arts industry and would therefore rely on the Self- Employment Income Support Scheme. 

Phillipa Childs, head of BECTU said in a statement: “The Chancellor must urgently address the flaws in the Self- Employment Income Support Scheme, which is excluding thousands of self-employed and freelance creatives.”

Tom said:"In the lighting and production industry there are a lot of people who are limited companies, and have been completely forgotten about financially.

"When this all blows over, even after being swept under the carpet, we will still be the industry that everyone else expects to entertain them again."

Although the arts industry has faced unprecedented adversity, the creatives within it have adapted to the shift and remain hopeful that the industry they cherish will bounce back.